


Wanted, Mr Sniffles

by blankdblank



Series: Prompts/Requests [8]
Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: Accidental Relationship, Emotional Doubt, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 17:48:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16937874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankdblank/pseuds/blankdblank
Summary: You are Richard´s roommate as you have just moved into New York and saw an advertisement where someone was looking for a roommate, weirdly enough, it was Richard who let his agent do the scanning of the people who phoned on the number that was under the advertisement. You seemed to have all the qualities that they were looking for, ( had a steady job, was willing to sign a contract where absolute professional confidentiality about your roommate was demanded ) it sounded very odd to you at first but when it was explained that the person who was looking for a roommate, their profession was acting you understood it and signed. The shock of your life when you first were introduced to your roommate, Richard Crispin Armitage.





	1. Chapter 1

Brutal. In one word Richard’s last trip out to film in New Zealand. The first film was wrapped, in a sense, and he was finally home again. The large house sat empty for months with only his relatives to drop by and run the tap, flush a couple toilets, slam a few doors, he really didn’t care. He loved having his privacy but in the months away he truly regretted owning a home of his own, it merely seemed wasteful. A single offer from his agent had come as a timid resolution to his problem however, one he would no doubt at least give a shot to. A roommate, for the most part there was an attached mother in law cottage, will full kitchen, only sharing the main sitting room and the laundry with the main house allowing both parties their privacy. With another event coming up Richard relaxed all he could before having to leave again allowing his agent to handle this.

…

A sharp gasp left you as the second ring on your phone sounded, with furrowed brows you slid the edge of your fingers between your lips in a failed attempt to ease the pain in your finger from its press against the kettle you were moving to an empty burner as a deep croon sounded out. “Hello?”

Without reason you grinned widely brushing your hair behind your ear saying, “Morning. I um, I got your number about the rental ad?”

Unknown to you a grin sounded through the phone as your familiar voice came through the line, “Yes, might I ask your name?”

“Y/n.”

“My name is Troy, I’m actually handling this matter for my client. You wouldn’t mind meeting up for an interview?”

“Um, sure. When would you want to meet up?”

“Are you free today? I’ll be in London for a few hours, we could meet up for a cup? Around noon good?”

“Yes,” your eyes darted to the clock along the wall as your mind reeled to the set of busses and subway stop you would have to take, “Where are we meeting up?”

.

With numbers traded you finished your tea, showered and filled your purse you shouldered over your loose cardigan swaying around your t shirt and jeans after hopping your way into your worn sneakers instead of forcing your aching feet into even your most comfortable heels. Three busses and a subway stop later you hopped your way up the steps and trotted through the crowds to the café on the corner you entered and claimed a seat in after placing your order at the counter.

Not long after a tall blonde walked through the door with a stern expression on his face looking over the room until he spotted you alone sipping on your tea. One glance over you and your pitifully drooping ponytail you set your mug down to tighten back up to its former high resting spot. As he neared the table your eyes rose to meet his asking cheerfully, “Troy?”

He nodded and lowered into the seat across from you accepting your hand shake, “Thank you for meeting me. I know it was short notice.”

You shrugged through a weak giggle, “I’ve worked with worse timelines.”

A smirk eased across his lips as he leaned forward asking, “You won’t mind answering some questions now?” Your head shook and he drew out a small notebook and a pen to take notes under a set list of questions. “First, I have to ask if you’re employed.”

You nodded, “Yes,” after another weak giggle your hand folded around your mug, “I’ve been told too employed on occasion.” His brow rose as you claimed a sip of your tea, after which you lowered it to add, “I work in set and prop design,” making his brow rise at the common ground you and Richard held already, “Also a few months out of the year I fly out to the States to record some audio books, and I also do a few voices on an animated show out here.”

“Which sets have you worked on?”

“Mostly period pieces. My first one was assisting on North and South.” The arch in his brow inched higher, “It was just a few fetching things, I’d just gotten out of uni, then after it was a few small for tv ones, then a steady bit on Being Human, until I got roped into a few traveling bits on Strike Back. Then started on the Borgias few years back, that just ended, um I actually just signed on for a new one about Mary Queen of Scots and there’s a couple more lined up for the months in between their filming bits that haven’t been guaranteed yet.”

The number of actors he knew of forming Richard’s circle you had possibly already met grew and eased his comfort about you already, “Impressive. And the audio portions, is that for income only, or?”

“Um, I mean, partially, most of it goes in savings really. It started as a favor to my Cousin and they ended up needing a steady worker and it also lets me travel a bit across the pond so, not all bad to add to the purse and schedule at the end of the day.”

He nodded, “Where are you staying now?”

“With my Cousins, two of them are getting married and the lease is up next month.”

“So you’re available to move in quite soon?”

You nodded, “Whenever possible, either soon or I could find a place to crash until, your client, is comfortable with me moving in, if I’m approved that is.”

Your cups were emptied and another was called for to finish the rest of the nearly eight pages of questions that only stirred the smirk on the agent’s face even wider. On his feet again he dropped your hand promising to be in touch after he would do the background check on you and have the answer in a couple days after you had agreed to signing a confidentiality agreement not to share anything about the client in question. Something you didn’t argue with, as it also would cover their not sharing the details you would have on shows before production had closed. Sketches, models and detailed notes weren’t an uncommon thing in your possession and they had been hard to keep hidden from your Cousins in the past adding to your reasons for needing to move.

…

Not three days later you were called out to London again to meet in his office to fill out the paperwork for the confidentiality agreement and the lease before joining you outside to drive you in his car out to the house while your Cousins followed behind in the moving van. Within the hour your things were unpacked in your portion of the house, using the side entrance directly to it before your Cousins left you with the Agent to have a tour of the house after their friend had delivered your car from its repair job in the shop. You weren’t alone for long as another car pulled up in the driveway allowing the tall figure closer to the main entrance with a large suitcase at his side.

The thick wooden door swung open revealing a near heart dropping realization of who you were now living with. Richard Crispen freaking Armitage. Those bright blue eyes of his scanned over you in his entering and motion to close the door behind him, each moment you could see him trying to remember who you were as his Agent had no doubt shared your now confirmed work history. Obviously unsuccessful in that attempt but those eyes of his had locked on a clear reaction you had no success in reigning in. As it stood you were at the moment quite excruciatingly taken from what he had learned from your interview but that did nothing to hinder the clear effect he had on you.

The words of the Agent blurred in his mind as he took in the details of your every motion and unsteady breath while you tried to focus on Troy and not the Brit making a mental inventory of what he stirred from you. A trick he loved taking advantage of, through his long slow career he had learned the art of body language, something that only increased his own decided valuable skills to help in his craft. It certainly didn’t hurt in finding out what his significant others truly felt and refused to share with him. No matter what he settled to respect the boundaries and treat you as a tenant and hopefully a friend should you hit it off, but against his own clear instant attraction to you he would be your friend and only your friend.

Before he could blink a phone call took Troy back on his path to the office for another client allowing you both to have some time alone to learn one another. With brows raised he eyed your quick smile stirring a dry swallow from him, “I know you probably don’t remember me. But honestly you really don’t have any reason to.”

“Oh?”

You nodded, “On North and South I mainly did errands, and on Strike back I got called in to take over just after you got killed off, unfortunately.” A smirk eased onto his face, “Besides, if you had any worries about my sticking to the agreement I’ve had one of your secrets for over a decade now.”

His brow raised challengingly allowing him to catch yet another reaction he had stirred from you only raising his amused state in his secret game. “Oh? And that would be?”

Your smile grew playfully as you replied, “I know for a fact who spilled pop on the cotton bolts in the final mill scenes.” His lips parted as you giggled softly twisting slightly from side to side, “But I’m not going to say who.”

A soft chuckle left him as he shook his head, “Care for some tea, Miss y/n?”

With a grin you replied, “That would be lovely, thank you.”

You followed him into the kitchen as he asked, “Your fella didn’t help you move in?”

A soft giggle left you as you repeated, “My fella?” he turned to glance at you as he filled the kettle, “No, he has to work. No worries, he won’t be hanging around a lot. But he has agreed to sign papers for visiting, Troy’s going to send the papers over later today.”

Richard smirked at you, “Did you need help unpacking?”

Your hand waved in front of you, “No worries, I can manage it.”

He nodded, “If you do need it let me know.”

You nodded and he served the tea that bubbled over into him following you to your suite as your fluid conversation continued. A smile grew on his face that he hadn’t felt in a while, easily you had dropped into a great friendship almost instantaneously as your humor and rhetorical and sarcastic whits seemed to meld nicely into a steady back and forth. Each box he helped you shift as he stole glances at what he could, especially those meant for your sitting room turned office. All but one you allowed him to help with without caring, a large chest you awkwardly scooted into your bedroom stirred his curiosity. But he stole a glance at where you had hidden it away hoping to sneak a peek later only to catch you turning it into a bench under one of your windows under a pile of blankets. Turning back again to help you with the rest of the boxes he smiled at you when you timidly glanced at him again upon entering the main hall again.

…

Days had bled on between his busy days with interviews while you commuted to work, his week end only left him with a glimpse of you and the man in one of your photos he guessed to be your boyfriend. With furrowed brows he watched the pair of you chatting with your eyes locked on your separate notebooks. The pair of you were awkwardly sprawled on two chairs at opposing ends of the shared sitting room in the house. Quietly he passed by resuming his rituals to shower and change before exiting again to catch the man now gone. Against his racing pulse at what he assumed to be your sending him away at hearing Richard he strolled through straight to your side only to pause as he peered down at you when you smiled at him greeting him happily. “Richard! I didn’t hear you come in.”

With parted lips he glanced up as the man entered again furrowing his brows at the fruit juice bottle he passed you while saying, “I thought you switched to the green label.”

Tilting your head back you replied, “They only had the purple, but I got some tomato juice for you.”

He nodded eyeing the red bottle in his other hand before he shook it and opened it, mumbling, “I am so tired of falling for limited editions.” You smirked up at him as Richard met his eye only to get a hand held out to him, “Tim.”

Richard shook his hand, “Pleasure to meet you.”

Tim nodded and claimed his seat again as you added, “We were thinking of takeaways, want some?”

Richard wet his lips, “Oh I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

You both shook your heads and said together with soft chuckles, “No intrusion at all.”

All through the meal, when it finally arrived leaving him to sit between you at the side of the table after his expecting you to sit together, but each moment of your shared aloof states left him absolutely baffled. Your attraction was there, to him and Tim, but nothing from him, not at least past a mild fondness from what Richard could see. So him being in his confirmed set aside position he started to dig deeper into the relationship leaving him, as Tim was heading home for the night, with the casual peck on the cheek you had initiated and he did not return, merely tolerated as if some favor to you, that this was a train wreck waiting to happen. Already as he headed to bed when you had said your good nights he could already perfectly see the stacks of tissue boxes, the tubs of ice cream spilling over from your freezer to his, the countless sappy romances he would no doubt inch his way into joining the marathon with you to aid in your pain relieving rituals as best he could.

Heartbreak was absolute, something he couldn’t help but share with his friends, in hypothetical situations of course, all referring to ‘a friend’ and his roommate and their crumbling relationship Richard failed in maintaining the charade and just erupted, spewing it all out leading to the guys to come visit the next day he was in town. With his own busy work schedule you barely saw each other three days a month. No doubt you had relaxed into at least verbally as one of those joking caring relationships that seemed to irritate everyone when they were equally as loving, or physically affectionate. 

The single bubbly laughing conversation you shared seemed to draw the entire group in only to puzzle them as you would lean in and then lean back with a reigned in reaction as if you’d been emotionally slapped. Only a few seconds in the hour they had spent with you the they could catch the freezes when you would inch back again respecting the seemingly invisible barrier between you until his deliberate taps on your thighs and fore arms to share more details on stories.

Your parting when he had to head back to the airport only left the actors around Richard inches from angrily pummeling Tim, their reaction simply was to drag Richard to his room the minute you left the men to return to your notes to finalize some designs for work the following week. The group all shared hushed angry shouted whispers trying to make sense of why the man would dare limit any interaction with you at all. 

Their final passing glance of Tim was one you had drawn them into, in a jaw droppingly tight dress you entered the room to sit beside Aidan as you smiled at him widely asking, “If I were to sit like this,” you scooted closer to him pressing your leg against his while you propped your chin in one palm, “And I pat your arm and say,” Switching your voice from normal to a giddy giggly one saying with your eyes locked on his in a teasing grin, “I can’t imagine having to wait soo long for someone to sign you. I could listen to your voice all day.”

The giggle after raised his brow as he stammered out, “Are you trying to flirt with me?”

With a pat of your hand on the counter you turned to Tim pointing a finger at him abruptly snapping from your previous near enamored state, “See! I told you!”

Tim rolled his eyes, “How was I supposed to know she was flirting with me?”

“One, leaning in, two, she touched you!”

Tim shrugged, “You touch my arm all the time.”

The men groaned as you replied, “Yes, but women don’t normally go around just touching people!”

Tim shrugged, “Point taken, what else?”

Richard, with his temper as reigned in as he could muster at your attention to, Aidan added, “The look for one.”

Lee nodded, “Pure lust in those eyes.”

Graham, “And the giggle. No woman just laughs like that without trying to flatter the ego of the man she’s speaking to.”

Tim’s eyes locked on you and he huffed, “I’m never going to get this.”

You giggled and walked to his side claiming his hand guiding him to your door saying, “No worries, you’ll have five girlfriends by the end of the first month. Plenty of practice.” After bidding the guys good night they heard you add, “Now, off to the dinner, I’ve studied up and I’m going to make that little Griffen cry when I read back the text books on Geo-dynamics I’ve memorized.” Grins grew on their faces as they chuckled at your challenging tone Tim chuckled to leaving them to return to their sharing of notes on your behavior and lesson before delving into what you meant by him gaining more possible girlfriends.

…

For two months no sight of Tim had been found with only a couple echoes through the halls from skype calls from you during your usual brainstorming hours. Each time being in more and more adorable positions staring at some model for something for the shows you were working on or resting upside down trying to read back the trickier sections on the latest book you were going to fly out to narrate in another week. 

This last pass by your room however brought Richard to call out, announcing his arrival from another bout of filming himself leaving him absent from your life for over two weeks jetting around the world for various small bits here and there. Through his thundering headache his voice rumbled, “Care for some take away?”

Tilting your head awkwardly you caught his eye and turned sideways smiling at him as you straightened up and said, “Sure.”

On your feet you followed the staggering man back to his kitchen to find the notebook for the numbers for your favorite places. Scratchily he nearly growled out, “What did you care for today?”

At his side your eyes lingered on the clammy complexion of the giant beside you, the beginning of trickles of sweat as he swayed on his feet, softly you said, “Rich-,” His eyes shifted to meet yours making him sway again as he watched your hand rise to press the back of your hand to his heated forehead, “Come on, you’re going to bed.”

“N-.” Your hand fixed on his jacket and you guided him through his house toward his bedroom, taking his weight against your shoulders as you did, “You need to eat.”

“And I will, after I get you in bed with some soup.”

“I don’t-.”

“Yes you do.” Firmly you guided towards his bed where in his throbbing numbness he couldn’t fight against your hands jerking his jacket off of him as carefully as you could manage while his eyes struggled to focus on you. A wet heap of clothes grew in the hamper along the wall with his damp shirt after before you guided him to sit down to help him remove his boots. A lace at a time you loosened them then tugged them free to be tossed beside his hamper freeing you to add his socks as well. On your feet again you reached up to unhook his belt only to have him fail to swat your hand away as you said, “I am getting you out of these soaked clothes.”

Sloppily he sighed, “I don’t need to be cared for.”

You nodded holding up three fingers in front of his shifting eyes, “How many fingers?”

He swatted your hand away as he stood and slumped over your shoulder as he said, “Worse than my Mum. Just need to shower.”

Rolling your eyes you steadied him and helped him to his shower where he dropped his pants in his place against the wall while you turned the shower on and stepped out saying, “I’ll get you some fresh clothes.” He grumbled something and dropped his boxer briefs to step inside, closing the milky door behind him to grunt as the hot water spilled over him. Warm air swirled around him as he scrubbed as best as he could then stepped out curling in the towel you had set there to stagger across the room to fumble his way into the new boxer briefs and sweats, leaving his shirt where it was. 

Around him the room swayed as he reached the door, hastily he jerked it open hoping it was just the heat getting to him. On the other side his eyes fell on you as you grabbed his arm to curl over your shoulders to guide him back to bed. “I got you. Back to bed, your soup is waiting for you.”

“You don’t have to care for me.”

You giggled as he laid back under the covers you had brushed back, against the pile of pillows he rested and watched you grab the thermometer and tried to say something only to be silenced, “Oh just stop it. You can barely cross a room alone. And stop complaining about your Mum, you know you would love it if she were here to care for you,” His lips parted as you raised the thermometer to his lips, “And if you keep complaining I will break into your phone and call her out here.”

His lips folded around the thermometer as he gave you a failed attempt at a challenging glare making you smirk at him saying, “Glare all you like.” Shifting sideways you grabbed the bowl on your left while you grabbed the beeping thermometer, “Congratulations, it’s a fever.” He rolled his eyes and then eyed the spoonful you offered him, “Open up, and no swatting or this will be all over you.”

Slowly he finished the soup holding his eyes on you as you shared about your day trying to distract him from his helpless state, then after he eyed the small cup of medicine you offered him before the tall glass of water before tucking him in. Groggily he tossed and turned in the bed on your trip to the door bringing you back to the bed after taking his dishes to the sink. With your new book in hand you returned to his bed to sit beside him catching his eyes landing on you in the middle of his internal struggle.

For all his wishes to just be alone his entire being burned and chilled at the same time, feeling his skin wishing to crawl as another layer of sweat started to form. This ache in him through his silence about your obviously missed failing relationship through his already deep attachment to you. If he hadn’t been able to be under the care of his Mother in this state there wasn’t anyone he wished to be able to be this vulnerable with, but for as much as he enjoyed it, he hated having this happen so soon after meeting you. 

Barely two months in and here he was, coated in sweat and on the edge of hurling everywhere but as you scooted closer to his side he couldn’t help but turn over as his eyes drooped through the first paragraph you read aloud. The same calming voice he listened to when you were apart just to have a piece of you close no matter how heated or depressing the random slew of novels would get.

..

A couple hours later in a shift farther over your lap you closed the book and set it aside to quickly grab the trash can you’d set there earlier. Promptly you grabbed it and slid it up to his face when he jerked awake and rose up to heave everything inside it, firmly your hand smoothed over his back between his broken apologies as he continued to heave. When his stomach had finally settled again you moved the can and settled him back again after helping him drink from one of the water bottles you had left by the bed. Groaning deeply he laid back unable to look your way as you carried the can to dump and rinse it out before bringing it back to the bed with a damp wash cloth you eased across his forehead as you held up the thermometer saying, “Let’s check your temp again.”

Through his grumble he obeyed your order, relaxing as you wiped him down and claimed it again when it beeped through saying, “I have five brothers, and three of them have quadruplets. Guess who gets full custody when they all get sick. You are not the first to hurl from over my lap, you are however-,” you shifted to give him another round of medicine, “The first to get it all in the bucket. So you get points there.”

Weakly he chuckled then accepted the drink of water you had offered him, in a cracked voice he hoarsely rumbled, “Thank you.”

You smirked at him, “I’m going to get you something to eat.” He groaned again making you giggle, “You have to eat.”

On your path back from the kitchen with more soup you heard the back end of Bohemian Rhapsody being hummed by Richard, your smile grew at his sloppy rendition. Beside him you sat helping him eat the soup before sitting next to him letting him curl around your lap again. His eyes shut halfway through his repeat of the song after he slurred, “I think I’m writing a great song.”

You nodded, “It could be epic.” Unable to help but smile you combed your fingers through his hair easing him to sleep just moments after he mumbled in a pleased tone at your humming along, “We’re so in sync. Just meant to be.” In a hushed tone barely above a whisper he sang,  _“Anyway the wind blows_ -,” his voice trailed off as his head nuzzled closer on your lap while his arms circled around you. In your trapped spot your eyes closed while your fingers smoothed across his back for a short nap until your alarm went off to towel him down and check his temperature again before another round of meds, soup and water.

Thankfully his fever had broken and he tried to convince you to get back to your routine and he could handle himself, but as his voice had nearly died out completely after his congested night of being coated in vicks to clear it out brought on a painful round of coughing the medicine finally was able to stop. In a compromise you stretched him out in the living room while you changed his sheets and made him more soup then joined him to watch a round of courtroom tv he hoarsely argued along with you through each case. Reaching back his arms circled you in his medicine induced delirium after he insisted you sit there on your return.

His smile couldn’t have been brighter as his dying voice flowed through rambling statements about how perfect you were and any man should give you the world in his decided moment on sharing what he thought about your relationship with Tim. The discussion went on far longer in his mind with only a few scattered words here and there for you to try and piece together before he passed out again. The next couple days you shifted around the apartment struggling not to get too comfortable in his arms while his body settled against yours so easily. Each moment both absolutely perfect but still incredibly painful as it drew out the truth for what your now former relationship had been.

.

A farce. Tim had been your best friend since university and it wasn’t until you both had graduated you found yourselves in the same boat so to speak. The pair of you tired of the attention to your private lives and were in need of a way to silence the endless comments and set ups. For you your dreams of bringing your thoughts to life meant more at the time than any man promising you the world in exchange for a night of drinks and a roll in the sheets. While Tim had a different struggle all together, in his comfort you had been the first female friend he had obtained and the first person he had trusted enough to share his belief he was asexual. Something that made him being handsome all the more difficult for him to live without unwanted attentions, so with a bargain struck you both timidly came up with an approved set of contact and reasons for each.

With this you managed to convince most that you were perfectly happy, even in his wish as a non snuggler and you a person enamored by the desire to have someone to come home to and just melt against whenever you needed that intimate contact. Painfully you dealt with this as you didn’t wish to harm your friend’s dreams, with that however you had come to an agreement that obviously when you were apart you could see whomever you wished as long as they made you happy and respected you fully. 

With a couple dates you decided against it, simply dealing with the ache over the hassle the men had turned into after even just a simple coffee. Into the film world you escaped and now that Tim had finally landed the job of a lifetime in japan you were freed from your duties as he tried to convince you not to settle with just being Richard’s friend if you caught a hint that he was interested.

Here you were, in the grip of an impossibly talented actor that you had joined millions in swooning over and helplessly daydreaming about for years now. Each day you’d learned more about him and his millions of intricate habits than any interview could muster into words. Each one more painful than the last as once again you felt like you were a tiger trapped in a glass zoo exhibit as the men milled past unable to simply feel them around you at all as you posed and flashed your teeth for those looking on. Between your bouts of looming tears at a wish for something real you struggled to hold it all out of sight and just accept that you had a contract with him and would, at best, be as good a friend to him as he would allow you to be.

.

By day four groggily his eyes opened to find you as his pillow once again as you rested with the just nearly finished novel open beside you with your finger still holding your place. Against his urge to rush away from you out of embarrassment for what you’d had to endure this week his hands settled on your hips guiding you flat on the bed he tucked you into after setting the book aside. With just the lingering weakness in his body he rose from the bed to shower and make a full breakfast for the pair of you he had just barely finished as you joined him at the table accepting the juice he passed you. 

Your sleepy smile and loose hair partially over your face you were struggling to brush back nearly froze him in place as your eyes met his in the same bright reaction to his as you stated, “Thank you. I have half a mind to fetch the bucket for you.”

Richard couldn’t help but chuckle as he eased into his seat, “I’m certain I can make the race to the toilet if I need to. Thank you, for everything. I really feel bad about it.”

You giggled softly, “No need to. I’ve put you through a lot of my rambling and awkward rants trying to work through my props.”

He couldn’t help but laugh, “And you’ve read through scripts with me to help make sense of the notes. I’d say we’re even on that front.”

“And you don’t have to thank me for taking care of you. It’s what I do back home.”

“Still-.”

“You’re not going to win this argument. Besides, I got a fair bit out of it.” His eyes flinched up to yours as he raised a brow making you giggle. “I think it was the third night I went to make soup, came back you were humming Bohemian Rhapsody.” He chuckled weakly looking at his plate, “Then when I joined in you said we were so in sync and just meant to be.”

After a groan he replied, “Unfortunately I’ve said the same thing to my Sister in law last time she popped by with soup for me to give Mum a break.” His brows furrowed, “I’m actually surprised I haven’t gotten any messages from her.”

You smirked up at him, “She called the first night. I’ve been keeping her posted. We agreed she’s going to ring you at noon, we figured you’d be out of it by then.”

“How’d you manage to keep her from taking the train out?”

“We face timed her, a lot. She gave me more than a few tips on your tricks.”

Another chuckle left him as he stole another glance at you mid bite of your breakfast. The idea you could have been so close with his Mother already eased a doubt in what he imagined to be a first step to drawing you out of your bad situation. “I don’t have tricks.”

With a giggle you replied, “Perhaps not, but you do try to be quite the charmer when you’re sick.”

“Oh?”

You nodded, “Two days back we were on the couch after another round of soup and you told me you wrote me a song, ‘because every divine creature deserves to be serenaded’.” He couldn’t help but groan, “And then you started to sing for me.”

He rubbed his place, “Please tell me I didn’t…” peaking between his fingers he asked, “More Queen?”

You shook your head with a giggle making him wonder who he could have chosen. “No. An original piece.” His head turned and he froze in place at what he could have said, “You started to sing this song about this pet hamster you had when you were six.”

His brows furrowed as his head tilted curiously through his mumble, “I never had a pet hamster.”

You couldn’t help but giggle, “Then you went into this bit bout the forces and I’m not certain but I got some serious Lucas North vibes.” Making him laugh as he covered his face, “I thought it was adorable. Thinking of making it my ring tone for you.” His brows rose, “You insisted I save it to replay it when I’m away next week.”

He laughed again, “I am sorry.”

You shook your head, “No apologies or I’ll send it to your friends.” Making him send a playful glare your way. “Alright I know that would break the contract, but, fine, your Mum then. There’s no Mum clause in it.” Making him chuckle again as he stole another lingering glance your way.

“I’m sorry, if we kept you from your talks with Tim. Or did we have chats with him as well?”

You giggled softly, “I got a couple emails from him. He’s settled in Japan nicely.”

In a jerk to meet your gaze he parroted back, “Japan?”

You nodded, “Five year contract, huge, amazing job.”

After wetting his lips Richard asked, “How’s that going to work, with you two, I mean? If you don’t mind that is?”

“Oh, we broke up three weeks ago. He said it wouldn’t be fair to me, that was part of the whole demonstration with Aidan and the guys, me trying to give him a few clues to when someone was interested in him.”

Richard’s brows furrowed again and he set his fork down crossing his arms on the table in front of him, tapping his finger as he spoke, “So, you were giving him tips on meeting someone else? Why?”

“He’s, my best friend.”

Richard wet his lips again, “He was also your boyfriend.”

With a steady inhale his questioning clicked in your mind, “Oh, no, I mean yes, but no.” Making his brow tick up higher, “See, we met in uni, and he was finally so relieved to make a female friend that wasn’t just trying to hit on him. Actually I was, he’s just oblivious to all that. Anyways, we settled as friends and after graduation at work we kept getting pestered about dating and all that. So we had an agreement of sorts. I’m sure you guys caught a bit of the distance when we hung out, puts some people off, but he’s not overly fond of sharing personal space, and it’s easier for me to just sit across from him then.”

“And that would be, why?”

“I’m a notorious snuggler, can’t help it.”

“And he doesn’t like to be touched. Interesting pair.”

You couldn’t help but giggle, “We make up for it with the joking in most people’s eyes.”

“Why stick to it for so long?”

You shrugged, “I got tired of the lies. Nothing felt meaningful in dating with the guys I took out, just wanted flings. When, sorry if this gets a bit much, but you don’t really need a guy to get off, and it’s mostly considered weak for men to show any sort of physical intimacy past something possessive seems like, labeling me as clingy or needy when it’s just a hug damnit, they’re still going to have testicles after, I don’t see the problem with it.” His smile had grown as your words had died off.

“No, I agree. If you need someone to back up the snuggling effects on testicles let me know.” Making you giggle and get back to your meal.

…

The next couple days had passed and you had found yourself off on another flight across the ocean to the States to record that large novel leaving Richard home alone without anything to distract him from his racing thoughts about you. Across his couch he once again set his phone down on his chest after listening to one of the recorded clips of you both singing together, including his hamster song you had sent to him before his mind raced back to the chest he still had no clue what it had contained. Without reason he rose and crossed through the house to your open room. Wetting his lips he peeked inside even knowing you were safely across an ocean. Slowly he made for the chest and carefully shifted the folded blankets from on top of it before his eyes slid over the chest assuring there was no lock before he eased it open.

Inside he peered over the stacks of films and random trinkets obviously autographed or special edition for a few random actors. Using his phone to light it up he grinned seeing his films and shows inside on one side above a small pair of plushies, one of John Thornton and the other of Guy of Ghisborne in a pile with characters from the original Lord of the Rings beside a set of plushies for Jurrassic Park and King Kong. Each item making him chuckle as he realized why you had hidden it, you had mentioned you were a fan of his but clearly you were trying not to show him just how big of a fan. With a smile he moved the blankets back exactly how they were and he went to make himself some lunch returning to his planning on what to do with you.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Nearly to noon where you were, in the middle of your walk back to your hotel after work your phone buzzed. The icon of Richard and his cup of tea mid focusing scowl in his favorite armchair popped up and you smiled accepting his call to hear, “Not too early is it Darling?”

Before you could say anything you stepped aside to avoid a group passing you as your smile grew, “No, barely noon on my way back to order something in.”

Through the line he heard the bustling street sounds die after a word from the man guarding the door allowing you inside, “Why don’t I let you settle in and you can ring me back after?”

With a flash of a smile at the woman shifting aside to let you in the lift you replied, “Talk to you in a few.”

“Take your time Darling.”

Hastily you nipped at your lip trying to figure out just what had stirred this shift. For months now it had strictly been y/n and nothing else, if anything else you could only take it as him trying to be nice after your caring for him. You couldn’t actually mean anything to him, not you. He couldn’t possibly be doing anything past using the common pet name hundreds of Brits no doubt used for strangers merely out of polite habit. 

In your room again you changed and sat on your bed noticing the message he had sent requesting a skype call with you after you had ordered your lunch. Glancing down you assured you weren’t wearing anything embarrassing and drew out your laptop to call him. All at once that same damn focused scowl appeared on screen and you forced a smile while you pulled a pillow over your chest and lap as you cast him a wave, “Hey Rich.”

In one shift straighter he grinned back giving you a wave as a group of his fellow cast members piled around him widening your smile as they led you both through the conversation you stole glances at Richard through in his steady watch over your every move. His silence only deepening your resolve to hold firm in the belief he was simply being polite when they all signed off, “Later Darling!” You responded to by waving and holding your smile until the call ended.

From deep within you felt the pit on your stomach drop another twenty feet as your lip quivered and all hell broke loose with every locked in sob and tear you had held back for years. All but completely empty inside you slumped onto your side pushing your pizza away from you unwilling to eat anything. Closing your eyes you curled in a ball burying your head away from the light coming from the sheer blind coated window to weep endlessly until the room was dark again and your eyes sat open slowly blinking over their scratchy surfaces staring at the latest alert on your phone. Finally near midnight you sat up and pulled it closer to you seeing pictures from your friends on their joint trip to Cancun with the man they knew was ‘just perfect for you’ drawing one last searing tear from your eye to drop down your cheek.

At the end of those was another message from Richard telling you, “Off to the airport now. Sleep well Darling.” After it was a small smiley face.

Promptly you replied, “Happy flying. Don’t forget to sleep yourself there songbird.”

Absently you dropped your phone on the bed and crawled to the edge of the bed to go force yourself to shower, once again hoping just once the warm water could fool your mind into pretending just once you were wrapped safely in a warm cocoon of arms belonging to someone who truly cared about you. Someone waiting for you, wishing to just be with you, trusting and loving you and only you, someone ready to commit fully to a life with you. Someone you were certain you would never meet.

...

The week flowed on and you finished the depressing book that only solidified your glum outlook on your situation. Easily you boarded the plane and returned back to Richard’s, thankfully too late after his own flight had taken off leading him to another event allowing you some peace.

Two days had passed and Richard had returned to find you once again thankfully home. Around him his friends grouped happily with food in hand to spread out. Peering inside the shared sitting room they all caught your focused glare at the small model in your hands you were trying to get to move on its own.

The small black mill like wheel on a pedestal should have been trembling if it could at your fierce gaze, but the men couldn’t help but eye your completely exposed legs as your nearly backless tank top with strands holding the loose shirt together to pool over the short shorts you had apparently been left with as the dryer continued its humming. Across your chest and stomach were the words, ‘I like my books like I like my men, well read and leather bound.’

Through the doorway a shifting drew your eyes to the men who all smiled at you catching your nervous flinch as you struggled against curling up and hiding while Graham said, “We brought food Love.”

Aidan added, “Plenty to go round.”

Lee smirked and added, “Nice model.”

With a huff you glared at it saying, “Can’t figure out how to get the damn thing to turn on its own.”

Making him chuckle and say, “You’ll figure it out.” Joining the men on their path to the kitchen as Richard stayed in the doorway.

When you glanced up again your eyes widened again making him smirk at the blush on your cheeks, lowly he asked, “Is there something on my face?”

Rapidly your head shook, and you blurted out a quick, “Nope.”

With a challenging brow raise he replied, “Then what is that look for?”

You simply shrugged replying, “No look, just waiting on my laundry.”

He nodded his head, “Food’s ready when you are.”

As the buzzer sounded on the dryer you set the model down and shifted your legs forward to stand and follow him to the kitchen drawing his curious gaze after you when you crossed your hands over your backside in your hurried trot to the laundry room. With a curious smirk he silently followed after you peering around the corner spotting you opening the dryer and bending to pull out a pair of pants allowing him to read, ‘That’s Sheriff To You!’ Across your ass only leaving him a moment to bite his lip and duck away to join the others to hold back his laughter about why you were hiding them.

No doubt you’d both worn a great number of leg baring outfits, he had even been known to lounge in his briefs from time to time when you had surprised him back again early or through a late start through breakfast. Even around the guys you’d been comfortable in them but he guessed that pair happened to be a previously missed pair from inside that chest of yours that just matched that top perfectly and stirring an altogether playful mood in him he hoped to aim towards his winning you over to the idea of possibly dating him. 

All through the meal you joined in on their raucous joking conversations about your various jobs and travels for those past few weeks before they all had to head out again leaving you both alone again. You sat at the table steadying your breath after the countless brushes of fingers across yours between extra helpings and taps randomly through your shared stories.

With the door closed Richard joined you in the kitchen helping you clean up before stating, “Alright, I’ll grab the ice cream and you can spill about your model.” Your eyes met his and he smirked at you, “I know it helps, ranting a bit about it before the problem clicks in your mind.”

With a sheepish glance you joined him in the chair beside him, both spooning small bits of the ice cream tub on the table between you into your mouths as your words flowed out of you until your eyes shot open at his mumbled comment as he took in the specifications, “So, you want the top to spin…”

A soft gasp left you as you stabbed your spoon into the ice cream saying, “I could kiss you!” in your dart up form the table to the sitting room for your model.

Instantly you paused at his purring, “Would not mind Sheriff.”

Turning your head to him with a fierce blush you asked, “What?”

Grinning up at you he purred back, “What?”

Your eyes narrowed and you turned your head forward shaking your head and rushing back to focus on your model. With a smirk he stole another scoop of ice cream and put it up with your spoons in the sink then went to relax on his bed with an exhausted sigh knowing you could be off on that model for hours putting his plan on hold until the following day.

Laying back he listened to the show playing on his tv until his body bounced in the air a couple of inches at your giddy bounce onto it. Playfully a smile spread on his face peering up at you in your kneeling at his side holding the model between you as the wheel rotated with the help of a set of arms and smaller hidden gears. The playful nip at your lip muffled your giggle before you said, “I know it’s late but, look.”

The giddy squeak earned a chuckle from him before he purred, “Congratulations there Sheriff.”

At once your grin dropped into a playful glare before you hopped up and went back to your room rolling your eyes, “Night Richard.” Deeply he chuckled and laid back again.

…

A couple weeks had passed and you were back in your old routine much to Richard’s irritation. All the small brushes of his fingers against yours, the low purred comments and pet names had done nothing but confirm you were holding back from him. Closer and closer he inched trying to hint to you that it was ok, he was interested, he wanted a relationship with you. Clearly as you dropped him off at the airport and he stole a lingering gaze at you while his hand rose to brush a strip of hair from your face, the polite flinch of a smile and sheepish turn away said it all. 

You didn’t believe he truly cared, and it all clicked in his mind, your comments on your relationship with Tim, somehow you’d imagined it was something to try and make up for what you had said you had missed out on. Somehow you’d imagined he was lying to you. As soon as he got back he would make you see, he would clearly state it to you making sure you understood just what he had felt and wanted in the future with you.

...

Bubbling in a irritated mood Richard headed straight from the baggage claim to claim his suitcase as he switched on his phone wondering why he hadn’t heard from you yet. The plan had been to drop him off and have you pick him up to have a lunch when he got back to start off your short break between jobs. A plan now defunct obviously as there were no messages or sign of you at all waiting for him, luckily Martin had said the night before he was catching the same flight back and had his car waiting for him in the long term parking garage.

Firmly Martin’s hand patted his friend’s back saying, “She probably got caught on a last minute detail on set or something, slept in. We have spotted her sprawled out on your couches before after long shifts.”

Richard nodded eyeing the strange number flashing up on his ringing phone, nearly growling, “Still, no word at all since yesterday morning…” wetting his lips he hit talk as he grabbed his bag of the revolving carousel saying, “Hello?”

_“Is this Richard?”_

With brows furrowed he replied sternly, “Look, I don’t know how you got this number-,”

_“Do you know a Miss y/n?”_

All at once his heart stopped as he heard an overhead page for a Doctor to the ER for a code, softly he replied, “Yes.”

_“What is your relationship with her? We’ve been trying to reach her family but yours is the only number she has contacted recently.”_

“We live together.” Hastily he added, “What’s happened?” That comment drew Martin’s eyes straight to him with an urgent pang of panic of his own.

_“Miss y/n had an accident-.”_

Cutting her off he asked, “Is she safe?”

_“Her injuries were minor but the Doctor is refusing to release her on her own. We need someone to come and get her.”_

Richard wet his lips accepting Martin’s phone to type in the name of the Hospital she gave and said, “I’ll be there soon.”

Martin, “Let’s go get her.” Richard nodded and followed him to his car for the drive over after locking their bags in the back.

.

Hastily they made their way through the hospital to the floor the woman had told him, ignoring the people around them until they found the door beside your name just as they heard you saying, “Can I at least have my pants then?”

The nurse shook her head as you slumped on your bed until Richard walked through the door and your eyes paused on him before your good arm rose to say, “There, my ride home, can I have my pants now?”

Unable to help but smirk the pair gave the nurse a set of quick smiles easing her from her stunned state before she said, “I’ll go get the Doctor.”

Sitting up you added, “With my pants too, please..” Your voice trailed off as Richard and Martin looked you over seeing only a sling on your left arm and wrapped ankle, “I am sorry, I’ve been trying to get them to let me go home but it’s all arguments and pant stealing up here today.”

Richard sat beside you as Martin asked, “What happened?”

You looked at him, “Oh, we were filming a carriage scene, and there was this little set of flowers we had to set up and another carriage, but one of the horses got spooked sending them off in two different directions, long story short I got knocked ‘out of danger’ and straight down a hill into a giant boulder. Got a gash on my ankle and dislocated my shoulder. Honestly not the worst that’s happened but the Doctor assumed concussion and wanted to watch me overnight and then decided to not let me drive home on my own.”

Richard, “You drove here?” His brows furrowed.

“No, one of the other crew guys agreed I didn’t need an ambulance so he drove me and an intern drove behind him to take him back after. I’ve broken my left arm three times twice with the bone out and all, this is just a heating pad and an extra helping of soup situation.”

Martin couldn’t help but chuckle, “Why didn’t they call your family?”

“They are out in Wales, I’m not drawing them all the way out just for this. I’m sorry they called and worried you.”

Richard shook his head, “I’m glad they did.” Your eyes turned to the Doctor on his walk in with your bag bringing your smile out as you mumbled, “Pants!”

Then dug through and pulled the jeans back on before the Doctor neared you to help ease off your sling and gown after asking your permission revealing the bruises around your shoulder and shoulder blade he gently rotated and pressed around the swollen joint. “Miss y/n, you’re very lucky you weren’t hurt worse.”

“Again, the horses and carriage didn’t hit me, the guy that drove me threw me out of the way and I rolled down the hill. I’ve been hit by horses before, this is nothing compared to that.”

Blinking at you disbelievingly he replied, “All the same, bed rest two weeks.”

Under your breath you repeated, “Two weeks?” Easing your grass stained t shirt back on again.

Richard flatly stated, “I’ll make sure of it.”

The Doctor nodded and gave a few more instructions on how long you should go between cleaning the stitches on your ankle and to elevate your left arm and ankle each night then stepped out to get your discharge papers leaving you to roll your eyes and glance up at Richard saying, “I do not need two weeks in bed.”

He raised a brow, “One week minimum.”

“This is not-.”

“It’s not a request. You took care of me now I’m taking care of you.” Your lips parted only to shut as he helped you back into your sling, “I’ll lay across you if I have to.”

Martin eyed you both chuckling softly as he helped you pull your boots back on and tied them for you before you signed the papers and the pair escorted you out into the parking lot where Richard took your keys to drive you back with Martin after you.

..

With your food put away you smiled at Martin accepting his hug on his way out then turned your head to Richard as he tucked another pillow under your injured ankle. “You’re really doing this?”

He nodded and sat beside you covering your legs with the blanket in his hands up to your lap, “Yes. I am.”

Comfortably through the first week you were settled in bed with Richard at your side as he made sure to cater to your every need, even through the nights when he snuggled up beside you when you fell asleep to the films he put on. He made certain to fill each moment he could with you until he was called away to work again to the States. His first night away he made sure to make it to his hotel room to skype you on his laptop to try and hint for a possible date for when he got back.

With an eager smile he settled his legs in front of him as he called you. As the back wall of your office came into view behind you he flatly stated, “You are not in bed.”

“Nope. But I have my foot elevated, I can’t exactly polish my pistols in bed now can I?”

With a smirk he replied in a purr, “Polishing your pistols?”

With narrowed eyes you locked your eyes on his holding the stunt pistol you had finished painting the wooden gun you had finished engraving the night before in view of the screen, “Don’t even.”

He chuckled lowly asking, “Why are you working? You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I am relaxing. I cannot sit still when nothing is wrong with me.”

“You have bruises and stitches, that is not nothing.”

You rolled your eyes, “You do not have to be my caretaker.”

“And what if I want to be?”

“Oh really, I highly doubt with your full schedule you really feel the need to add to that.”

“You would be wrong in that.” The flinch in your brow and eyes lowered from the screen for a moment, “I’m not joking. I care about you.”

“Usually people that don’t tend to avoid threatening to handcuff you in bed after you get stitches.”

He wet his lips as you set the pistol aside and lounged back in your chair adjusting your leg on the foot rest beside you, “I get back in on Tuesday, I was wondering if you still have no plans on Friday?”

You shook your head, “Nope.”

He nodded, “You’re not going to handcuff me in bed till then are you?”

In a purr he replied to your question smirking at your blush realizing what you had said, “I think it’s best we wait on the handcuffs.”

With a sigh you propped your chin in your hand as he looked you over again through his dropping smirk, “Right.”

“You are one of the most incredible women I’ve ever met.” All at once your stomach clenched at his words, “And I may joke from time to time, but I do care about you, and not just as a caretaker or house mate.” 

Quickly he wet his lips and continued, “And I hate that I am not there to tell you in person, but I promise I will try to get back early if I can. You are incredible and in words I can’t even fathom what you and your mind is capable of creating. You build worlds, and make simple sketches or doodles of possible items to life to help move films and shows along farther than any actor ever could.” As your eyes darted to your lap he added, “And the fact you are looking away from me right now is that I haven’t made it clear enough to you.” After a pause to watch you nip at your lip he asked softer, “Y/n, Dearest, will you please look at me?”

When your teary eyes met his he drew in a breath and settled closer to his laptop, “Y/n, right now, I am not your friend, or your house mate, or the person who upchucked across your lap after you nursed me through whatever the hell I came home with just barely after you met me. I’m just me. 

The up at three in the morning pacing in my briefs reciting old plays and poems trying to channel a made up person because it means I get to catch glimpses of you still glaring at a tiny model, or carving pistols when you should be sleeping. I’m the man that keeps ‘forgetting’ to move the dishes lower after we wash them just so I get to watch you do that adorable straining climb onto the counter to do that jaw droppingly perfect nose scrunching smirk after when you think I’ve missed you magically retrieving it from the tall shelf. 

I’m the one that keeps hiding those pens you prefer writing with right beside the books you love, and keep setting down on your path to something else, just so I’ll find you snuggled up with them later so I can have a warm mug with you as you just gush about it. I have been vain and incredibly narcissistic in the past but since the first moment I met you, yes I’ve picked up a few strange new habits, and it is still a bit selfish, but I get to be with you.”

He wet his lips again when a tear rolled down your cheek, “Even if it seems out of nowhere I would be ecstatic to simply get to spend an evening with you as anything but friends. I wished to subtly nudge us closer to that,” after a weak chuckle he added, “But honestly, neither of us do subtlety well.” As you wiped your cheek smudging a streak of silver powder across your cheek his smile grew as a small smile slid onto your face, “Y/n, Dearest, Darling, Sheriff.” The last one made you roll your eyes through a soft giggle, “Would you please, do me the honor of spending Friday evening with me? Whatever you decide, bowling, laser tag, ping pong tournament, bull riding,” You giggled again making him chuckle and smile wider, “What do you say?”

“Would a trip to the cinema and ice cream after be a bit too cheesy?”

He shook his head, “Not at all.” Smiling wider as you continued.

“Alright, Friday it is.”

A knock on his door sounded and he said, “That’d be supper. Back in a flash.” With a smirk he added, “You have something silver on your cheek.”

In a glance at your hands you groaned and stood to go wash your hands and face as he fetched his food, when you had returned he had his food in his lap and he watched you move the laptop into your bedroom to lounge back in bed where you asked him, “So, how many suits have you switched between since Sunday?”

He chuckled and replied watching you taking a sip of your cocoa, “Seven.” At the glint in your eye marking when you would have smiled he added, “Would have been eight but I managed to sneak the first one in again by changing the tie.”

“Oohh, sneaky.”

Making him chuckle again, “How was your day out there Sheriff?” With a playful glint switching in both of your eyes you filled him in and then melted into another outpour of love for the novel you had received to narrate in a couple weeks.

…

True to his word Richard had done all he could to get home early, so near ten at night Richard finally got home wondering just where you were. The drive was empty as were your rooms and all the shared areas, with a sigh he turned to his room to try and freshen up after his long flight back. With his shirt just barely off on his head he took a step closer to the hall furrowing his brows as he heard your front door opening and closing before the clunk of locks being sealed before a heavy thud of your bags being thrown into them as you softly muttered to yourself and made your way through your area to take a shower.

Wetting his lips Richard finished pulling on his sweats and walked to his kitchen to brew two large mugs of tea then sat in your shared sitting room waiting for you to storm your way out to him. A smile inched back on his face hearing your muttered argument in varying voices continuing in your path to your kitchen where the cupboard was closed loudly as you growled, “And now no tea!”

Turning you picked up your argument again making your way to check if Richard’s kitchen had a tea bag to spare, “Oh what do we have here, oh a catapult, let me just put my $12,000 camera on it. That’s clearly the best place to leave it!” As you neared the sitting room Richard caught you sniffle as you added in a near broken tone, “And then let me waste near half an hour lecturing the set crew when someone moves it for the war scene.”

Another sniffle sounded as you paused at the throat being cleared in the sitting room. In your turn to him his eyes skipped taking in the details of those same Sheriff short shorts under a loose t shirt as you wiped your reddened cheek and crossed the room as he in a loss for words softly stated, “I made tea.”

In his move to pass it to you he eased back as your body just seemed to fold in his lap as you tightly hugged him. A large grin grew on his face as he felt at home again with you so tightly wrapped around him, instantly his arms coiled around you while his hand slid into a portion of your hair brushing it free from your face in your melting embrace. In your next trembling inhale he could feel the angered tension dropping slowly from you as you mumbled, “Cameraman almost ruined my catapult scene.”

Nuzzling his head closer to yours he hummed out, “I think I caught that bit, he left it on your catapult?”

You nodded easing your forehead against the side of his neck, repeating in a mocking tone, “But catapults don’t actually hurl objects across distances..”

“Oh?”

“No, idiot actually said it was impossible to rebuild a catapult. Said we didn’t have the materials. Special trees! Said they had to be built from Special Trees! Like they’re magical or something!”

As hard as it was he held back his chuckles, “How did you solve this?”

“The director made him watch as we set it all up and my catapult hurled a giant boulder over three miles taking out a wooden rolling tower.”

“Bet that showed him.”

“Nope, then he said he bet I couldn’t hit it again, as if, just, idiot! Director sent him off set away from me and the set crew.”

As you let out a steady sigh after spilling some more you accepted the mug of tea he turned you around on his lap for to keep holding you as he propped his feet up on the footrest and sipped on his own tea hearing more about your day. With your mugs empty he set them aside and purred, “Would you feel better if I serenaded you again?”

With a smirk you felt the last of your anger fading away through your growing blush, “You don’t-.”

Before your sentence had ended he began to sing back the hamster song he had created for you in his sickness you giggled through and buried your face in his shoulder until it had ended. With a steady blush you stood and claimed the mugs walking to the kitchen saying, “I’m gonna put these in the sink.”

With a smirk he followed after you where he folded around you at the sink wrapping his hands around yours to raise them to his lips to kiss your knuckles, “Sheriff, Darling, Would you prefer my other song I formed for you.”

Through a giggle you asked, “And what song would that be?”

Before you could say anything his fingers had woven between yours to draw you backwards away from the sink as he started to sing the opening to Bohemian Rhapsody. With a giggle you turned your head burying it against his chest as he continued the song and started to guide you in a slow dance he managed to wiggle you off his chest to spin you and claim your hands again as you rolled your eyes giving in to his pleading glance to join him. 

Softly you joined in until you both became more animated through the song eventually dancing your way into the couches to jump and sprawl out across them animatedly until he had curled you tightly in his arms again for the final lines. His forehead pressed to yours after he gently kissed your nose and forehead then purred, “Why don’t we get you in bed, you need your rest.”

In a shared silent glances of reluctance on sleeping alone he joined you in your bed, wrapping you up snuggly in his arms as he hummed for you again until you had fallen asleep, and with a kiss on your forehead he nuzzled closer to you and drifted off dreaming about your upcoming date.

 


End file.
